


Leaving Work At Work

by alafaye



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-01
Updated: 2016-02-01
Packaged: 2018-05-17 13:03:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5870707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alafaye/pseuds/alafaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry's been away from home, out of sorts, because of a large work load. Christmas Eve is his time to fix that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Leaving Work At Work

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AWickedMemory (TeddyLaCroix)](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=AWickedMemory+%28TeddyLaCroix%29).



> Written for awickedmemory for the 2015 hd_owlpost fest. First posted [here](http://hd-owlpost.livejournal.com/118334.html).

Harry turned the tea pot a quarter to the left. That was better. Was it better? He studied the tea tray, imagining invisible lines across it, underlining the pot and cups and saucers and plates. Considered where he had placed the tray on Draco's desk.

It'd been too long. Harry felt off center and it was showing through. He didn't think anyone in the office had noticed -- Draco, at least, had trained him better than to let any weakness show in a public place -- but inside was a different matter. And even though tea wasn't important to Draco, it was to Harry. It was meant as an apology to Draco for the time spent apart. It had to be perfect. Only, because of the time apart, Harry wondered if he was capable of achieving perfect.

He adjusted the cups and saucers.

No, something still wasn't right. However, before he could change anything else, the ward he had set up rang, a small sound like a church bell. He hoped that good enough was, well, good enough for Draco. Harry crossed his arms behind his back and kneeled down, chin up.

Moments later, Draco entered the office, dictating something to the quill and parchment following him. He was carrying several folders and was wearing his glasses. Harry tried not to smile; he loved seeing Draco in glasses. It made him look mature and sexy.

"... and reduce the potion dosage from 6 mL to 5 per week," Draco said absently. "Have the patient come back in two weeks for another blood draw, but let the patient know I expect that by then we should be able to take him off the potion."

Harry stayed still as Draco walked around him and the quill signed off Draco's signature before the letter zipped off to the appropriate department. Draco put the files he was carrying on the bookcase behind his desk and sat in his chair. He wrote out another note and put it into one of the files. Harry tried not to shift.

"I was wondering if I'd ever see you before Christmas Eve," Draco mused aloud. "A man should be able to see his husband during the holidays. Especially if he is in a position where he is guaranteed leave for the holidays."

Harry said nothing. He heard the admonishment in the words and knew that he was not expected to add anything. He bit his lip, though, suspecting that the tea wasn't going to be enough.

"And look at this. Two cups as if I would let you join me when you've not been attentive," continued Draco, sounding oblivious to Harry's thoughts. Harry swallowed hard. Draco sat back with a sigh. "Have I done something wrong, Harry? I made wonderful plans for us this week. I made sure all of the gifts reflected the anniversary -- even found a quill that matched the one you gave me all those years ago and that not an easy find. Now tell me what has kept you out of my bed this month. And don't whine or make excuses. I want facts."

That was Draco, the Healer. A detailed, factual summary of the events that led a patient to his door and why no other Healer was able to help the patient. Draco's bedside manner sucked which luckily he made up for by being one of the few Healers who was able, from a few facts, determine the best treatment. Even if the disease or curse or hex had stumped all other Healers.

Because Draco was a puzzle solver. He loved all kinds of puzzles. He liked seeing clues laid out so he could piece them together into a nice picture. It was how he had lured Harry in, seeing all the little hidden facts in the presents Harry had sent him. It had been a 12 days of Christmas event, held throughout the Ministry. Draco had been apprenticed then to the healers who helped triage the Aurors and Harry had just joined the ranks of field Aurors. The event included a Secret Santa type of element and Harry had been assigned to Draco. By the end of the event, Draco hadn't cared who Harry was; he only wanted to help his Secret Santa by bringing him to his knees and serving Draco.

Harry had resisted at first, but eventually gave in and hadn't looked back since. After all, Draco had taken Harry's initial rejection and turned it on its head. Rather than force Harry to face his needs and wants head on, he'd seduced Harry into it. That first evening, at the end when Harry had thanked Draco as he kissed his feet, Harry had let his fears go. After all, it had eased a knot inside him that he hadn't even known he had.

And now here they were, ten years on. Married. Happily. Outwardly, an almost perfect couple, and inside their home, Dom and sub, perfectly balanced. But Harry would admit that he was off balance and he didn't think it had to do with him not being at home, serving Draco.

As Draco waited patiently, Harry sifted through his memories to find the facts that would led him to this precise moment. 

"There was a case, at the end of October," started Harry. "A little girl. She had been reported missing a few months ago. She had gone down to the store, a quick walk that shouldn't have taken more than a minute to get there. The store owner never saw her. There was no trace of magic or blood or anything between her home and the store. We kept an eye out, but with no leads, we couldn't do anything. And then there was a little boy, at the beginning of November."

Draco hummed. "And another at the end of November?"

Harry blinked. "Yes. And another one a few weeks ago. All of them gone in the same way. But then the case last week... there was a raid on a potions supply warehouse. We found quite a lot of blood. The warehouse had labelled it as unknown but safe. Only they didn't have the paperwork for it. Draco, I have to -- " Draco half smiled and waved his hand to his desk. Harry stood and wrote out a message to the Auror on duty, telling her that they needed to run a test on the blood.

Once the message was on its way, Draco pulled Harry into his lap and nuzzled his neck. "And this is why all that paperwork gets sent through your desk. Why you have to read all of it. You pieced it all together."

Harry smiled. "Thank you, Sir."

"There we go," Draco said, smiling against Harry's neck. He rubbed Harry's back and Harry relaxed. "It was the kids, wasn't it? Their families. You always get worked up the most when families are torn apart. And to think that the warehouse had done that. I'm sorry, love."

Harry leaned against Draco's solid warmth. "I'm sorry I've been away a lot and difficult when I'm home."

"I'm a patient man, Harry," Draco told him. "I knew it would be solved soon enough."

Harry breathed deep and just sat there a moment, enjoying the quiet. Enjoying the fact that he was, he hoped, soon forgiven. Enjoying that now that Draco was here and the case was on its way to being solved, he could fully relax. And now he was on holiday, Draco would take care of everything.

"Tea?" offered Harry.

Draco squeezed his waist and breathed deep. "I think you've earned the privilege of serving my tea, yes. And if you do it well, I might let you have some. Unless you'd rather save your reward to earn a better one if you can sit still and quiet at my feet while I wrap up these folders?"

Oh, that was no choice. Harry removed the second cup and put it back in its place, on the little sideboard Draco kept for them. Draco smiled at him, a reward in and of itself. Harry made sure to make the tea just right because he knew that an even better reward was going to come later on.


End file.
